


Maybe it’s time I finally did!

by stjarna



Series: Season 4 - Coda Challenge [22]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: All mistakes are my own, F/M, Fitz's father (mentioned), Holden Radcliffe (mentioned) - Freeform, Melinda May (mentioned) - Freeform, Post S04E13 "BOOM", Sort of Coda, Speculation, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 04:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9640772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: A little bit of purely speculative ramblings that popped into my brain about Episodes 4x12 and 4x13 and how it could continue (but probably won't ;) )





	

“So we know May’s alive. Radcliffe is keeping her busy in the Framework. Can we find a way into the Framework? Hack it?” Jemma asks, pacing anxiously through the lab.

“There’s no way for me to access it, because I have _no_ idea where to even begin to look for it,” Fitz replies, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

“Ugh,” Jemma groans. “The man’s a geneticist. How does he know so much about programming anyway?”

“Well, he has AIDA,” Fitz offers as an explanation. “The Darkhold.”

“Yes, but he programmed AIDA 1.0 _without_ all that,” Jemma counters. “I mean, yes, he had _your_ help, but you said AIDA was already close to passing the Turing test when you first met her.”

“Yeah, I know,” Fitz shrugs. “But Radcliffe’s not stupid. I mean, he clearly—” He pauses, drawing in a slow breath. “Bloody hell!” he exclaims suddenly.

“What?” Jemma asks, confused.

“My dad.”

“Fitz. No, don’t go back there,” Jemma tries to stop him immediately.

“Nonono, Jemma,” Fitz interjects, gesturing with his hands in excitement.

“Fitz,” Jemma interrupts him, “forget about what the LMD said about your father. Radcliffe was just trying to manipulate you. Your father doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, yes, maybe he does, Jemma,” Fitz counters, shrugging his shoulders.

“No! Your father was a—”

“I know what my father was, Jemma,” Fitz stops her. “But forget about that. Forget about me for a second.” He stops, waiting to be sure that she’s listening. “Radcliffe… the LMD said it saw my dad a few months ago. Think about that! _Just_ that! My dad worked with computers.” He shrugs again, gesturing wildly. “I… I don’t remember what exactly, ‘cause he thought I was too stupid to understand but he was a programmer or something. And I can’t tell you whether he was any good but considering how much he pressured _me_ into being better at everything, I have a hunch he probably didn’t want to stay entry level in his profession either.”

He takes a deep breath. “What if Radcliffe really did see him? What if he’s responsible for AIDA’s programming? Or part of it? What if he could be a missing link? Provide us with more answers? Maybe even figure out a way to locate Radcliffe or get into the Framework. We have the tools to find my dad. We’ve always had the tools to find him. Maybe it’s time I finally did!”

He looks at Jemma, awaiting a reaction.

She exhales a shaky breath. “Fine,” she says quietly. “Give me his name. I’ll do it,” she adds more sternly.

“Jemma.” Fitz shakes his head.

“No, I don’t want you to—” she tries to interject, but Fitz cuts her off, his voice calm and gentle.

“Jemma. He can’t get to me anymore.” He smiles, taking a few steps closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I’m out of that loop! Thanks to you! I don’t care about him or what he has to say, but what if he can help us. Voluntarily or not. What if we can get information from him that’ll help us find May? Let’s do this together. You know we’ll be a lot faster that way!”

Jemma slumps her shoulders and sighs. “I still hate him,” she mumbles.

Fitz chuckles briefly. “Makes two of us.”

**Author's Note:**

> P.S. I'm also working on a slightly longer coda fic for 4x13. This idea just snuck in and needed to be written to free my brain again ;)


End file.
